Gamber



G. GAMBERINI March 17, 1964 CIGARETTE PACKAGE CONVEYING AND GROUPING MACHINE Filed D60. 23, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENIOR GOFFREDO GAMBERINI ATTORNEY F March 17,1964 6. GAMBERINI CIGARETTE PACKAGE CONVEYING AND GROUPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 25. 1960 e sheets sheet 2 GOFFREDO GAMBERINI ATTORNEY March 17, 1964 a. GAMBERINI 3,125,378

CIGARETTE PACKAGE CONVEYING AND GROUPING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed D60. 23, 1960 INVENTOR GOFFREDO GAMBERINI ATTORNEY Mar ch 17, 1964 G. GAMBERINI CIGARETTE PACKAGE CONVEYING AND GROUPING MACHI Filed D80. 23, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. GOFFREDO GAMBERINI ATTORNEY March 17, 1964 G. GAMBERINI CIGARETTE PACKAGE CONVEYING AND GROUPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 23, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENT OR GOFFREDO GAMBERINI ATTORNEY March 17, 1964 G. GAMBERINI 3,125,378

CIGARETTE PACKAGE CONVEYING AND GROUPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 23, 1960 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR GOFFREDO GAMBERINI BWQ'W ATTORNEY United States Patent f 3,125,378 CIGARETTE PACKAGE CONVEYING AND GROUPING MACHINE Go'firedo Gamherini, Bologna, Italy, assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 23, 1960, Ser. No. 78,081 Claims priority, application Italy Jan. 14, 1960 13 Claims. (Cl. 302-2) The present invention relates to systems for the pneumatic conveyance of packs of cigarettes or the like in which the packs of cigarettes are conveyed within a conduit of rectangular section by a stream of air generated preferably by suction.

The object of the invention is first of all to provide a discharge device for such pneumatic conveyance systems which makes it possible mechanically to remove the packs as they arrive from the conveyor conduit, while guaranteeing a continuous air-tight closure of the outlet of said conduit.

For this purpose, the invention provides a drum which rotates in an air-tight manner in a housing around a shaft transverse to the pneumatic conveyance conduit adjacent the outlet thereof, which drum has, corresponding to such conduit, at least one peripheral recess or niche which can receive a package of cigarettes. The housing of the drum communicates on one side with a chamber into which there discharges over a package-arresting plane the pneumatic conveyance conduit a column of packages being formed and maintained during operation in the vertical end section of said conduit. The housing of the drum is furthermore connected, preferably on the side diametrically opposite the outlet of the pneumatic conveyance conduit, with a descending discharge channel which opens over a further resting surface for the packages.

The lower package of the column of packages contained in the said conduit is forced and housed in the aforementioned niche of the drum upon each of its passages in front of the outlet chamber of the pneumatic conveyance conduit, a reciprocating piston taking care of this. This package is then caused to drop, as a result of the rotation of the drum, through the opposite discharge channel of the housing onto the underlying supporting surface, from which it is advanced for example by means of another reciprocating piston. The drum thus operates as rotary member for removing the packages arriving from the pneumatic transportation system and at the same time also as closure member for the outlet of said system, preventing at any time communication with the outside of the transportation conduit and thus assuring the necessary uniform rate of suction therein.

Subordinately, the invention relates to systems for the pneumatic conveyance of packs of cigarettes or the like which connect a plurality of operating machines, for instance packing machines, cellophane wrapping machines, and the like, each with a separate conduit, to a single suitable packaging machine which makes up packages, each composed of a given number of individual packs of cigarettes and can by itself take care of the production of all of the operating machines connected to it. In this case the invention provides a special automatic machine which is placed between the packaging machine and the pneumatic conveyor conduits connected to the preceding individual operating machines and which is fed by a multiple air-tight discharge device of the aforementioned type, collecting the packs as they arrive from the various conduits of the pneumatic conveyance system and regrouping them in accordance with a given order so as to bring them then to the following packaging machine.

These and other characteristics of the invention and the advantages deriving therefrom will become evident 3,125,378 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 ice from the following description of a preferred embodiment, shown schematically by way of illustration and not of limitation in the accompanying drawings in which FIGS. 1 and 2 are elevations, seen from opposite sides, of an automatic cigarette-pack grouping machine fed by a pneumatic conveyance system with packs through the air-tight discharge device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 shows an a larger scale, in cross-section, the niche drum for removal of the packs from the pneumatic conveyance conduits and the connected device for forming the groups of packs.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section through the said drum with the attached device for forming the groups of packs, seen in plan view along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an elevation of the device forming the groups of packs, partly in longitudinal, vertical section.

FIG. 6 shows in elevation, on a larger scale the device for controlling the pack-transfer pistons.

Referring to the figures, 1 are the various conduits of the pneumatic conveyance system for the packs of cigarettes P. These conduits 1 each extend from an individual operating machine, for instance a packing machine, cellophane wrapping machine or the like and terminate with aligned vertical sections which discharge in an air-tight manner in a chamber 2 over a horizontal surface 3 (F168. 3 and 4). The packs P are drawn, one after the other, from the various operating machines into the corresponding conduits 1 by means of one or more suction pumps, not shown, connected to the conduits 1 themselves at a certain height above their terminal outlets. During operation, in the vertical end section of each conduit 1, there is formed and maintained a column of packs which rests on the surface 3. For a certain height of the surface 3, corresponding approximately to that of one pack -P, the ends of the conduits 1 have only the sides 101 between which there can freely pass a piston 4 provided within the chamber 2 corresponding to each conduit 1 and movable horizontally forward and backward transverse to the corresponding conduit. The rear shaft 104 of said piston 4 is guided in displacea'ble manner in a suitable support 5 through which it is guided in an airtight manner outside of the chamber 2. Each piston 4 is actuated by a rocker lever 6 which is articulated to the outer end of its shaft 104 and is driven in the manner described in greater detail below.

On the opposite side of the chamber 2, adjacent and transverse to the conduits 1 at the places of the aligned outlets theerof, there is arranged a horizontal drum 7 which rotates in an air-tight manner in the direction indicated by the arrow F (FIG. 3) with-in a stationary housing 8. This drum 7 is fastened on a tubular shaft 9 which rotates in side bearings 10 and is actuated by a sprocket wheel 11. In order to permit inspection of the drum 7, its housing 8 is provided with an upper cover 12 provided with handles 13 which can be locked to the housing 8 by any suitable lateral retaining devices 14 not shown in detail.

The housing 8 of the drum 7 communicates from one side with the chamber 2 through an opening 15, While on the diametrically opposite side, there is provided a descending discharge channel 16 which opens above another horizontal surface 17 for the supporting of the packs. Between the mouth of the discharge channel 16 and the underlying supporting surface 17 there moves back and forth, parallel to the latter and transversely to the drum 7, a piston 18 of a length sufficient to be able simultaneously to transfer all the packages discharged from the niches 107 of the drum 7. The piston 18 is actuated by two rocker levers 19 which are articulated to the shafts 118 of the piston, said shafts being slidably guided in suitable supports 20.

The drum 7 is provided, corresponding to each conduit 1 of the pneumatic conveyance system with two peripheral recesses or niches 107 which are diametrically opposite each other and each capable of receiving a pack P, these niches having a bottom 207 which is substantially perpendicular to their rear wall, while on the side opposite said bottom 207, they open up via a mouth 30! onto the periphery of the drum 7. The seal between the drum 7 and its housing 8 is assured both at the two drum flanges 8 and peripherally at bottom and at top along the two rows of opposite niches 107, possibly with the help of suitable packings 21.

The rotation of the drum 7 and the movements of the transfer pistons 4, 18 are synchronized with each other and preferably also with the rate of arrival of the packs P in the pneumatic conveyance conduits 1 in such a manner as to obtain the following operation.

When a row of nitches 107 of the drum 7 is in correspondence with the outlet chamber 2 of the conduits 1, opposite the communication opening between said chamber 2 and the housing 8 and with the bottoms 207 of the niches 107 aligned or almost aligned with the surface 3, the pistons 4 advance between the sides 101 of the corresponding conduits 1 and push the lower packs of the columns of packs formed in the different conduits 1 each on the surface 3 into the corresponding facing niche 107 of the drum 7. At the same time, each piston 4 closes the outlet of the corresponding conduit 1 by means of a horizontal upper fin 204 which temporarily supports the column of packs in the corresponding conduit 1 itself. After the return of the pistons 4 into starting positions, the columns of packs in the various conduits 1 descend by gravity or by the action of suitable transfer means (not shown) so as to rest again on the surface 3, while the packs P, housed in the row of niches 107 of the drum 7 and supported by the bottoms 207 of said niches are transferred as a result of the rotation of the drum 7 over the discharge channel 16 of the housing 18 where they drop upside down from the drum 7 through the peripheral openings 307 of said niches 107 and through the said channel 16 onto the underlying supporting surface 17. The piston 18 then advances and pushes these packs P on the surface 17 into the device for forming the groups of packs in front of same, temporarily closing the channel 16 by means of a horizontal upper fin 2 18, whereupon it again moves back. In this way, the drum 17, while transferring the packs P from the chamber 2 into the discharge channel 16 assures at any moment the perfect air-tight closure between the outer atmosphere and the said chamber 2 and therefore the air-tight closure of the outlets of the conduits 1 of the pneumatic conveyance system, thus avoiding that air can be drawn in through these outlets of the conduits 1 which might interfere with the regular and uniform conveyance of the packs.

In the embodiment shown, the drum 7 at the height of conduit 1 has two niches 107 diametrically opposite each other, one of which receives a pack as a result of the action of the piston 4, while the other is located upside down above the discharge channel 16 and allows the pack which has been previously received to fall into it. Naturally, the drum 7 may also have a single niche 107 or three or more niches staggered at an angle with respect to each other and operating in the same manner as above, for each conduit 1.

Furthermore, in the case shown of a pack-grouping machine fed by a plurality of pneumatic conveyor conduits 1, the drum 7 receives from the pistons 4 and then transfers into the discharge 16 simultaneously a plurality of aligned packs of cigarettes in a number corresponding to the number of such conduits 1. Therefore, the drum 7 has a longitudinal row of peripheral niches 107 or, as shown, two or more angularly displaced longitudinal rows of such niches 107, the niches of each row being spaced apart from each other along the generatrix of the drum 7 in such a manner that each corresponds to one of the conduits 1. It is clear, however, that the device with rotary drum 7 described above can be applied for the air-tight discharge of the packs P from a single pneumatic conveyor conduit 1, in which case the drum 7 will have one or more niches 107 pre-arranged on a single peripheral strip corresponding to this conduit.

It will also be understood that the invention is not limited to the combination between an automatic cigarette-pack grouping machine and the above described device for the air-tight discharge of the packs from the pneumatic conveyor system, but also includes the use of such device or equivalent devices in all cases in which such use may be advisable and in combination with any other machine.

Finally, there are possible numerous variants or modifications of a structural nature. Thus, for instance, the chamber 2, into which the pneumatic conveyor conduits 1 of the packs discharged, instead of being common to all of these conduits, as shown, may be subdivided into a corresponding number of individual chambers which may also be separated from each other, each forming a lower extension of the corresponding conduit 1 and each communicating via a separate opening 15 with the housing 8 of the drum 7. The drum 7 can rotate continuously or intermittently. The housing 8, instead of extending continuously over the entire length of the drum 7, may surround the latter only at the individual pneumatic conveyor conduits 1, adhering peripherally in an air-tight manner to said drum 7 on both sides of the corresponding niche or niches 107. The discharge channel 116, instead of being continuous over the entire length of the drum 7, can be subdivided into individual channels, each corresponding to one of the conduits 1.

In the grouping machine shown, the individual pistons 4 which push the packs into the niches 107 of the drum 7, although operating synchronously, are actuated independently of each other, so that any of them can be stopped without stopping the others. The actuating lever 6 of each of these pistons 4 is caused to oscillate on its pivot 106 by a corresponding cam 22 on which it rests via a small roller 206 by the action of a spring 23 (FIGS. 2 and 6). All the cams 22 are keyed to a common shaft 24 on which adjacent each cam 22 there is mounted in an idly swinging manner a substantially radial arm 25 which is acted on by a spring 26 and connected by an elastic drawbar 27 to the armature of an electromagnet 28. Each arm 25 extends to the periphery of the corresponding cam 22 and can cooperate with the roller 206 of the corresponding lever 6. All the arms 24 can furthermore be locked by a common bar 45 against the action of the springs 26 in an angular position in which they do not interfere with the rollers 206 of the corresponding levers 6. The locking bar 45 is borne by a double-armed lever 29 which is caused to swing on its pivot 129 in such a manner as to disengage the bar 45 briefly from the arms 25 by means of a cam 30 which is fastened to the shaft 31 and on which the lever 29 adheres via its roller 229 due to the action of a spring 32. The exciting of each electromagnet 28 is subject to the operation of a switch 33 which is closed cyclically by the cam 34 (FIG. 1) upon each revolution of the shaft 31. The excitation of each electromagnet 28 is furthermore subject to the reaching of a predetermined height on the part of the column of packs P which is formed in the vertical end section of the corresponding pneumatic conveyor conduit 1. For this purpose, on the end section of each conduit 1, there are provided any suitable means (photo-electric cells, electric contacts or the like) sensitive to the height of the column of packs in said end section of the conduit and which, directly or indirectly, cause the closing of the exciting circuit of the corresponding electromagnet 28 when the column of packs reaches and surpasses the predetermined height. This means may be similar in construction and operation to that shown and described in my co-pending application, SuN. 830,924, filed July 31, 1959 now Patent No. 3,089,732, May 14, 1963.

Under the above conditions, the electro-magnets 28 are normally de-energized (at least after the opening of the switch 33), but the arms 25 are held-against the action of the corresponding springs 26 and by the common blocking bar -45-in their angular rest position in which they do not interfere with the rollers 26 6 of the corresponding levers 6. The levers 6 therefore rest via their rollers 206 on the corresponding earns 22 and are caused to oscillate, actuating the pistons 4. Upon each operating cycle of the grouping machine corresponding to one revolution of the shaft 31 at the moment when the pistons 4 are moved back to the maximum by drum 7, the cam 36 permits the spring 32 to raise the lever 29 briefly, temporarily disengaing the locking bar 45 from the arms 25. At the same time, or shortly beforehand, the cam 34 closes the switch 33 so that the electro-magnets 23 are excited and maintain the arms 25 against the action of the springs 26 in their position in which they do not interfere with the rollers 206 of the corresponding levers 6, provided, however, that the means sensitive to the height of the column of packs in the vertical end section of the different conveyor conduits 1 in their turn permit the excitation of the corresponding electro-magnets 28, namely provided that the column of packs of each conduit 1 reaches the predetermined height. When, in any of these conduits 1, the column of packs does not have the predetermined height, the means sensitive to the height of said column do not permit the excitation of the corresponding electro-magnet 28 so that, upon the raising of the locking bar 45 and nothwithstanding the fact that the switch 33 is closed, said electr c-magnet does not hold the corresponding arm 25, which is caused to swing by the corresponding spring 26, placing itself below the roller 2'06 of the corresponding lever 6 and raising it from the corresponding cam 22. Therefore, this lever 6 and the corresponding piston 4 are im mobilized by a full operating cycle of the grouping machine, even though the shaft 24 and all the earns 22 continue to rotate, so that all the other levers 6 and the corresponding pistons 4 remain in operation. The corresponding arms 25 are again blocked by the bar 45 in their rest position shortly before the opening of the switch 33 and therefore of the de-energizing of the electro-magnets 28. When the height of the column of packs in the conduit 1 corresponding to the immobilized lever 6 again reaches the predetermined level, it permits, upon the next actuation of the switch 33, the excitation of the corresponding electro-magnet 28 which thus pulls the arm 25 back against the action of the spring 26, causing the roller 206 of the corresponding lever 6 to again come onto the cam 22, thus restoring the operation of the corresponding piston 4.

The above described device makes it possible for the pack grouping machine to compose the piles of packs A with the desired number of packs or not to compose the pile of packs corresponding to the conduit 1, the piston 4 of which has been blocked, furthermore permitting the connected packaging machine to operate independently of the number of operating machines connected to it and maintained in operation and therefore independently of the number of pneumatic conveyance conduits 1 which supply packs. In this way it is not necessary to stop the grouping machine or the wrapping machine when the feeding of packs from one or more of, the previous operating machines temporarily fails, for instance due to a temporary stoppage of one of these machines or due to a breakdown in the corresponding pneumatic conveyor system. Furthermore, the packaging machine connected to said grouping machine can operate automatically at different speeds, as a function of its feed. The fastest speed, i.e., the maximum number of operating cycles per unit of time, is obtained with simultaneous feeding from all the pneumatic conveyance conduits 1, namely from all the operating machines connected to the grouper. The slowest speed, namely the minimum number of operating cycles per unit of time, will on the other hand be present when the grouper is fed from a single one of the pneumatic conveyor conduits 1 and therefore when only one of the operating machines connected to it operates. In all cases, the speed of the internal members of the grouping machine and of the packaging machine when carrying out the operating cycle remains unchanged and is that of maximum production. Naturally, in order to assure the aforementioned operation at different speeds, suitable means (not shown) must be provided which are sensitive to the presence of the grouped packs, conveyed from the grouping machine to the next packaging machine, and which make each operating cycle of the packaging machine subject to the existence of a sufiicient number of such grouped packs in the feed channel of the packaging machine itself.

The levers 19 of the pistons 18 are caused to swing on their pivots 119 each by means of a cam 42 which is keyed to the same shaft 24 of the cams 22 and on which the corresponding lever 19 rests via a roller 219 under the action of a spring 43.

In the grouping machine shown, the device which forms the groups of packs comprises a wheel 35 provided with substantially radial fins which form pairs of deep longitudinal channels 235 staggered angularly from each other and open, both peripherally and at both ends of the wheel 35 itself (FIGS. 3 and 5). This wheel 35 with longitudinal channels 235 is arranged in front of the piston 18 and extends over the entire length of the drum 7. The horizontal shaft 36 of the wheel 35 is mounted rotatably in supports 77 and is caused to 1'0- tate, for instance, by means of the intermittent gearing 33 in the direction of the arrow F1 in FIG. 3 and in such a manner that each channel 235 of the Wheel 35 will place itself cyclically first of all in a substantially horizontal position opposite the piston 18 with its lower wall 135 on a line with the surface 17 and then, after one or more angular passes of the wheel 35, in a substantially vertical position with its bottom on a line with a horizontal outlet surface 39 of the packs of the grouping machine.

In these conditions, the packs P which fall from the discharge channel 16 of the pneumatic conveyor system onto the resting surface 17 in front of the piston 18 are pushed by the latter, one after the other, into the horizontal facing channel 235 of the Wheel 35, forming in this channel, corresponding to each conduit 1, a horizontal pile A of packs P. The wheel 35 remains stationary until the completion of these horizontal piles A which can each be composed of a number of packs P depending on how the grouping machine has been set. The individual horizontal piles A of packages P having been completed, the wheel 35 is turned one step, bringing its next empty channel 235 into horizontal position opposite the piston 18 while its channel 235 which has already been filled assumes its substantially vertical position in which the piles A, which are now vertical, of the packs P are swept along this channel on the bottom thereof in the direction of the arrow F2 in FIG. 5, being caused to come together and adhere to each other so as to form a group of packs which is expelled axially from the wheel 35 onto the horizontal outlet surface 39. The group of packs thus discharged onto the surface 39 is caused to advance on the latter in the direction indicated by the arrow F3 (FIG. 5) by means of two vertical, opposite, lateral conveyor belts 40 which flank the surface 39 and are each held taut on two rollers 41, 141, one of which (41) is positively actuated.

The device which expels the piles A of the packs P axially from the channel 235 of the wheel 35 can be constructed in any manner and for instance may consist also of a piston or the like. In the embodiment shown, this expelling device comprises two vertical blades 44 fastened to two endless chains 46, 146 at such a distance from each other that upon each expulsion one blade 44 passes between and along the vertical upper channel 235 of the wheel 35 in the direction indicated by the arrow F2 forcing the piles A of packs P in front of it and expelling them onto the outlet surface 39 FIGS. 1 to The two chains 46, 146 are arranged over the wheel 35 and extend for the entire length of the latter, each of them being held taut between two sprocket wheels 47 and 147 respectively, one of which, for instance that shown on the right hand side in FIG. 5, is positively actu ated. The two chains 46, 146 are parallel to each other, have the same length and travel at the same speed, but are staggered longitudinally with respect to each other, as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Each blade 44 is fastened to a bushing 48 which is mounted in a freely rotatable manner on a transverse pin 49 fastened to the chain 46 which in its lower course, is shifted with respect to the other chain 146 forward in the direction of expulsion F2. The blade supporting bushing 48 has a tubular extension 148 parallel to the direction of travel of the chains and in which there is inserted a coaxial pin 51) borne by a bushing 51 which is mounted in a freely rotatable manner on a transverse pin 52 fastened to the other chain 146.

When the two bushings 48, 51 travel through the lower course of the chains 46, 1 46 in the direction F2 of the expulsion of the piles A of packs P from the wheel 35, the bushing 48 bearing the blade 44- comes in front of the bushing 51, as shown in the left-hand portion of FIGS. 4 and 5. In this Way the pin 50 of the bushing 51, engaged in the extension 148 of the blade-bearing bushing 48 constitutes a support and retainer for the bushing 48, preventing the rotation of the latter on its articulation pin 49, and therefore strengthening the blade 44 in its vertically downward-hanging angular position within the channel 235 of the wheel 35. On the other hand, at the end of the lower section of the chains 46, 146, upon passing over the upper return course of these chains, and as a result of the mutual longitudinal stagger of the corresponding return wheels 47, 147, the bushing 51 rotating on its pin 52, is brought in front of the blade-holding bushing 48 a shown in the right-hand part of FIGS. 4 and 5. Consequently, the pin 50 protruding from the bushing 51 and engaged in the extension 148 of the bush ing 48 rotates the latter around its articulation pin 49 so as to keep it at all times in its downward-oriented angular position. The blade 44- then travels over the upper return course of the chains 46, 146, hanging vertically downward from the said chains, which substantially reduces the height of the expulsion device. Upon passing from theupper course to the lower course of the chains 46, 146, the bushing 51 is again brought in front of the bladeholder bushing 48 in a manner similar to that described above, while the blade '44 descends, retaining its vertical position and enters into the upper channel 235 of the wheel 35. It is therefore evident that the above described device permits the swinging of the blades 44 on their articulation pins 49 and thus permits the said blades 44 to hang at all times vertically downward from the chains 46, 146, even though imparting to these blades the necessary strength and rigidity at the time of the expulsion of the piles A of packs P from the wheel 35.

It should be noted that the expulsion of the piles A of packs P from the channel 235 of the wheel 35 need not necessarily take place when this channel 235 is in its upper vertical position, as shown, but may also be effected, with a device similar or equivalent to that described above, also when the channel 235 assumes any other angular position at the upper half of the wheel 35 and in particular a horizontal position diametrically opposite that in which it receives the packs as a result of the pistons 18.

The synchronized movement of the various parts of the pack grouping machine described above can be obtained with any desired actuating mechanisms. In the example shown, the machine is provided with a single motor 53 arranged on the outlet side of the grouped packs and which actuates a reducer 55 by means of a belt transmission 54 (FIG. 1). This reducer 55, via a pair of gears 56, 57, drives the shaft 24 of the cams 2.2 and 42 which extends rearward over the entire length of the machine.

The rotation of the drum 7 is derived from the shaft 24 by means of a chain 59 which is stretched between the sprocket Wheel 11 keyed onto the tubular shaft 9 of the said drum 7 and a sprocket Wheel 58 fastened to the shaft 24.

On the opposite side of the machine (FIG. 2), there is provided a maltese cross 6% which, via the pair of gears, 61, 3S, actuates the wheel 35. The maltose cross 60 is actuated in its turn by the handle 62 fastened to the respective stabilizing disk 63 on the shaft 31 which bears the cam 30 of the locking bar 45 and the cam 34 of the switch 33. The shaft 31 is actuated by the shaft 24 via gear transmission 63, 64, 65, 66. By suitably varying the number of teeth of the gears 63, 64, the ratio between the shaft .24 and the shaft 31 is varied, thus making it possible to have for each revolution of the shaft 31 two or more revolutions of the shaft 24. Depending on the ratio established, the grouping machine will form piles of two or more packs. As a matter of fact, if the ratio between the shaft 24 and the sha t 31 is 2:11, the pistons and 13 will carry out two complete operating cycles, while the wheel 35 will turn a single step. Thus, if the ratio is 1:5, the pile will be formed of 5 packs.

The shaft 31, by means of a belt or chain transmission 67, 66, 69 and a pair of bevel gears 70, 71 drives a vertical shaft 72 (FIG. 1) from which there is derived, via the bevel gears 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, the rotation of the return rollers 14-]. of the two belts 40. The same vertical shaft 72, via a pair of bevel gears 79, 78 drives one of the return wheels 47 of the chain 46. The synchronous movement of the corresponding return wheel 147 of the other chain 146 is derived from the wheel of the chain 46 by means of a gear transmission 31, 82, 83, 84, which straddles the two chains 46, 146 to leave the space between them free for the passage of the blades 44.

The machine is furthermore provided with a device for manual actuation which comprises a shaft (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) passing through the tubular shaft 9 of the drum 7 and rotatably mounted in bearings 86. This shaft 85 is connected at one end by means of a belt transmission 87, 88, 89 to the reducer 55 and can be actuated by hand by means of a handle 96 which can be connected as desired to the opposite end of the shaft 85. As shown in FIG. 4, the shaft 91 of the handle 98 is mounted in a rotatable and axially displaceable manner in a suitable support 92 coaxial to the shaft 85 and bears one-half 93 of a claw clutch, which can be engaged as desired with the corresponding supplementary half 193 of the clutch fastened to the shaft 85, pushing the shaft 91 of the handle for this purpose axially inward against the action of a decoupling spring 94.

From the above it is clear that the invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been shown and described, but that it may also be varied and modified in many manners, particularly structurally, without thereby going beyond the inventive concept set forth above and the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a pneumatic article conveyor system including at least one conduit providing a path of travel for articles and means effecting therein a stream of air to convey the articles toward the downwardly extending outlet end of the conduit, an air-tight device for removing articles from said conduit at the outlet end thereof comprising: a housing at said outlet end, a drum rotating in air-tight fitting relation within said housing, said drum having at least one recess in its circular outer periphery adapted to receive said articles, said housing having a side opening at a location opposite the circular path of travel of said recess and providing communication with said outlet end for the transfer of articles to said recess, said housing 9 also providing a substantially horizontal supporting surface disposed across said outlet end and extending therefrom toward said opening, and means operable in timed relation to the arrival of said recess opposite said opening to transfer articles from said surface into said recess, said housing having further a downwardly opening discharge channel circumferentially spaced from said opening and at a location opposite said circular path, whereby upon rotation of said recess past said discharge channel the articles contained in the recess are delivered through the discharge channel.

2. In a pneumatic article conveying system including at least one conduit providing a path of travel for articles and means effecting therein a stream of air to convey the articles toward an outlet end of the conduit, an air-tight device for removing articles from said conduit at the outlet end thereof comprising a housing at said outlet end, a drum rotating in air-tight fitting relation within said housing, said drum having a recess therein adapted to receive said articles, said housing having an opening at a location opposite the circular path of travel of said recess and in communication with said outlet end for the transfer of articles to said recess, said housing also including a substantially horizontal surface disposed across said outlet end and extending therefrom towards said opening, means operable in timed relation with the arrival of said recess at said opening for transferring articles from said surface end into said recess, said housing having a further opening circumferentially spaced from the first-mentioned opening, the second-mentioned opening also being opposite said circular path whereby articles are radially released from the recess and discharged through said second-mentioned opening, and means for receiving the articles thereby discharged through said second-mentioned opening.

3. An article handling system comprising an air-tight transfer device for removing articles from a pneumatic conveyor system, a plurality of pneumatically operating article conveying conduits, means providing a common closed discharge station for said conduits and communicating with said device for the transfer of articles thereto, said conduits having their discharge ends arranged in side-by-side alignment at the entrance to said discharge station, plural means individually associated with said conduits and operating within said discharge station to transfer articles from each said associated conduit to said device, second plural means each associated with one of said conduits and responsive to interruption in the supply of articles therethrough to deactivate the said second plural means individually associated therewith, and means receiving groups of articles from said device.

4. An article handling system comprising at least one pneumatically operating article conveying conduit providing a path of travel for articles and having a downwardly extending discharge end, a housing at said discharge end, a drum rotating in air-tight fitting relation within said housing, said drum having at least one recess in its circular outer periphery adapted to receive said articles, said housing having a side opening at a location opposite the circular path of travel of said recess and providing communication with said discharge end for the transfer of articles to said recess, said housing also providing a substantially horizontal supporting surface disposed across said discharge end and extending there from toward said opening, means operable in timed relation to the arrival of said recess opposite said opening to transfer articles from said surface into said recess, said housing having further a downwardly opening discharge channel circumferentially spaced from said opening and at a location opposite said circular path, whereby upon rotation of said recess past said discharge channel the articles contained in the recess are delivered through the discharge channel, means providing a substantially horizontal supporting surface directly beneath said downwardly opening discharge channel, an article assembling wheel having a plurality of radially disposed channels each adapted to accommodate a column of articles, means mounting said wheel for rotation thereof to bring said channels successively into position adjacent the last mentioned supporting surface, means for transferring to a said channel, when in said position, articles successively deposited on said last-mentioned surface to form a column of articles in said channel, means periodically indexing said wheel to reposition a said channel containing a column of articles, and means for removing columns of articles from said channels and assembling the same in sideby-side relation with previously formed and removed columns for packaging thereof.

5. An article handling system comprising a housing, a drum rotating about a substantially horizontal axis and in air-tight fitting relation within said drum, said drum having in its circular outer periphery a plurality of recesses aligned with the drum axis and adapted to receive a plurality of articles, a plurality of pneumatically operating article conveying conduits, said housing providing a closed conduit discharge station opposite the circular path of travel of said recesses and in communication therewith, said conduits having their discharge ends connected to and entering said closed discharge station in sideby-side alignment, means for transferring successive groups of aligned articles from said discharge station to said recesses, said housing having further a downwardly opening discharge channel opposite said circular path and also aligned with said drum axis, means providing a substantially horizontal supporting surface directly beneath said discharge channel and adapted to support an aligned row of articles discharged from said channel, an article assembling wheel having a plurality of radially disposed channels adapted to accommodate columns of articles, means mounting said wheel for rotation thereof to bring said channels successively into position adjacent and coextensive with a row of articles deposited on the last-mentioned surface, means for transferring to said wheel, when in said position, successive groups of aligned articles deposited on the last-mentioned surface to form a plurality of columns, means periodically indexing said wheel to reposition said columns of articles, and means for removing said repositioned columns of articles from said wheel and assembling the same in side-by-side relation with previously formed and removed columns for packaging thereof.

6. In a pneumatic article conveying system including at least one conduit providing a path of travel for articles and means effecting therein a stream of air to convey the articles toward an outlet end of the conduit, an air-tight device for removing articles from said conduit at the outlet end thereof comprising: a housing at said outlet end, a drum rotating in air-tight fitting relation within said housing, said drum having a recess therein adapted to receive said articles, said housing having a first opening at a location opposite the circular path of travel of said recess and in communication with said outlet end for the transfer of articles to said recess, and said housing having a discharge channel provided by a further opening spaced from the first opening and also opposite said circular path for receiving articles from said recess, means receiving articles from said discharge channel, said outlet end of the conduit comprising a descending vertical section in which a column of articles is formed, said housing providing a chamber into which said section discharges and having a substantially horizontal plane surface opposite thereto for the support of said column, said surface extending toward said first opening, and including a reciprocating piston operable across said surface for the pushing of articles through said first opening and into said recess.

7. The invention according to claim 6, wherein said piston has an upper horizontal fin adapted to close said end section when the piston is in its advanced position thereby to support temporarily the formed column of 1 1 articles, the withdrawal of said piston effecting dropping of said column onto said surface.

8. The invention according to claim 6, including guides located at the sides of the path of travel of said piston and constituting lower extensions of the sides of said conduit end section, thereby to support the column laterally.

9. An apparatus for grouping articles such as cigarette packs or the like comprising a pneumatic conveying system, including a housing, a plurality of pneumatic article conveying conduits having outlet ends entering said housing and providing a plurality of paths of travel for said articles and means for effecting therein a stream of air to convey said articles towards the outlet ends of said conduits; an air-tight device for removing said articles from said conduits at the outlet ends thereof, including a drum rotating in air-tight fitting relation within said housing, said drum being provided with a plurality of recesses spaced in the axial direction of said drum, each such recess communicating and being aligned with one of said conduits through a first opening in said housing for the transfer of articles into said recesses, and said housing providing therein a discharge channel for receiving articles discharged from said recesses.

10. The invention according to claim 9, including a plurality of independent pistons reciprocating synchronously and thereby transferring articles from said drum, and automatically operating means adapted to stop each piston individually when the same is in position farthest from the drum and the height of the column of articles in its corresponding conduit drops below a pro-determined level.

11. The invention according to claim 10, in which each said piston is actuated by a cam by means of a rocker lever, all of said cams being fastened on a common shaft and there being mounted idly for oscillation on said shaft, alongside of each cam, a radial arm which is urged by a spring into an angular position in which it raises the end of the corresponding rocker lever from the profile of the corresponding cam, while it can be maintained in an angular position of rest in which it does not interfere with the rocker lever, both by the excitation of a corresponding electro-magnet and by means of a locking bar which is preferably common to all the said arms, means being provided which briefly disengage the said locking bar from the said swinging arms upon each operating cycle of the grouping machine at the time when the pistons are moved back farthest from the drum, and furthermore means being provided which excite the said electro-magnets for the entire time during which the swinging arms remain free of the locking bar, the excitation of each electro-magnet depending either on the cyclic actuation of a control switch or upon the column of articles reaching the predetermined height in the vertical end section of the corresponding pneumatic conveyor conduit.

12. The invention according to claim 10, in which the articles which drop from the discharge channel of said housing of the drum opposite the various pneumatic conveyor conduits are pushed transversely to said drum by means of a single reciprocating piston, one after the other, onto a horizontal supporting surface, preferably between two parallel planes, forming opposite each pneumatic conveyor conduit a row of articles one alongside of the other transversely to the drum, the said rows of articles being then conducted or conveyed and expelled from between the two planes, in the longitudinal direction of the drum.

13. The invention according to claim 10, including a wheel having longitudinal channels which are substantially radial and are open at both their ends, said wheel being arranged horizontally along said plurality of pistons which act on the articles which have dropped from the discharge channel of the housing of the drum and furthermore the said wheel being intermittently rotatable so as to bring each of its channels cyclically into a position in which it is arranged horizontally in front of said pistons with its mouth facing toward them and receives the articles which are pushed one after the other by said pistons and form horizontal piles within the said channel, each pile corresponding to a pneumatic conveyor conduit, each channel of the said wheel being then brought to a subsequent higher or diametrically opposite station at which the piles of articles formed therein which the grouped articles expelled onto the horizontal discharge surface of the machine are advanced on said surface by means of lateral, vertical, opposite conveyor belts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,932,497 Wellensiek Oct. 31, 1933 1,999,430 Townsend Apr. 30, 1935 2,837,377 Finnegan June 3, 1958 3,042,454 Eissmann July 3, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 881,747 Great Britain Nov. 8, 1961 1,200,392 France June 29, 1959 

1. IN A PNEUMATIC ARTICLE CONVEYOR SYSTEM INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE CONDUIT PROVIDING A PATH OF TRAVEL FOR ARTICLES AND MEANS EFFECTING THEREIN A STREAM OF AIR TO CONVEY THE ARTICLES TOWARD THE DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING OUTLET END OF THE CONDUIT, AN AIR-TIGHT DEVICE FOR REMOVING ARTICLES FROM SAID CONDUIT AT THE OUTLET END THEREOF COMPRISING: A HOUSING AT SAID OUTLET END, A DRUM ROTATING IN AIR-TIGHT FITTING RELATION WITHIN SAID HOUSING, SAID DRUM HAVING AT LEAST ONE RECESS IN ITS CIRCULAR OUTER PERIPHERY ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID ARTICLES, SAID HOUSING HAVING A SIDE OPENING AT A LOCATION OPPOSITE THE CIRCULAR PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAID RECESS AND PROVIDING COMMUNICATION WITH SAID OUTLET END FOR THE TRANSFER OF ARTICLES TO SAID RECESS, SAID HOUSING ALSO PROVIDING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL SUPPORTING SURFACE DISPOSED ACROSS SAID OUTLET END AND EXTENDING THEREFROM TOWARD SAID OPENING, AND MEANS OPERABLE IN TIMED RELATION TO THE ARRIVAL OF SAID RECESS OPPOSITE SAID OPENING TO TRANSFER ARTICLES FROM SAID SURFACE INTO SAID RECESS, SAID 